General
Scholars converge at Makerere University to review the 40 years of Neoliberalization in Uganda
Scholars met at Makerere University to review four decades of neoliberal transformation of Uganda, the role of universities as agents and the transformative character of the process.
The ’what to do’ question was one of the central points of discussion at the conference titled Uganda’s Neoliberalism at 40: Taking stock of the operation of an exemplary market society in East Africa held on 18th to 19th January, 2024. The conference, a collaborative effort among Makerere University, International University of Rabat, Morocco and the University of Leeds, United Kingdom was organised and steered by Dr Giuliano Martiniello (Rabat), Dr Sarah Ssali (Makerere), Dr Jörg Wiegratz (Leeds), Dr Rose Nakayi (Makerere) and Professor Godfrey Asiimwe (Makerere, Mountains of the Moon University). The conference organisers had previously collaborated as part of the work on the edited collection ‘Uganda: The Dynamics of Neoliberal Transformation’ which was published in 2018.
The conference gave particular focus to relevant developments in matters of political economy, politics, society and culture in Uganda’s market society since 2018. Speakers and participants were drawn from Uganda, UK, Italy, Germany, Czech Republic, France, Colombia, Egypt, South Africa, Denmark, Morocco, Canada and USA; across disciplines; including civil society leaders, journalists, intellectuals, grassroots activists, citizen researchers, as well as scholars and PhD students. More participants followed the discussions online on both conference days. The large gathering allowed for broad discussions and cross fertilisation of ideas on the various themes, connecting theory and practice within the Ugandan context.
The keynote was given by Professor Yash Tandon, a major figure in political and intellectual life in Uganda and beyond. Tandon positioned the conference in the historical context of Uganda and highlighted the imperialist roots of the neoliberal policies that are driving the restructuring agenda in Uganda today. The keynote panel brought together interventions by Professor John Jean Barya, Dr Martiniello and the public intellectual, writer and activist Kalundi Serumaga.
Papers were presented under panels on various themes such as labour, agricultural and environmental change, oil and energy transition, socio-cultural change, education, social policy state, elections and political agency. Several papers interrogated the pertinent neoliberal policies as drivers of problematic changes in various sectors such as oil and gas, education, health and housing, and in matters such as labour and labour unions. This stimulated debates on a key question: whether indeed there could be alternatives to the ongoing neoliberalisation of Uganda that seems to be unstoppable, across all realms of society.
Commentators on the papers included Dr Yusuf Serunkuma (Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg), journalist and activist Agatha Atuhaire. They reflected on the everyday life aspects and the deep politics of neoliberalism in Uganda and highlighted various forms of existing resistance and push back vis-à-vis neoliberal political economy. Winnie Byanyima (UNAIDS Executive Director) enriched the conference with her comments about global and local neoliberalism, and the importance of activism in the struggle for change in today’s Uganda: she raised the ‘what should we do?’ question on conference day one; which was picked up by subsequent speakers including in the conference’s closing speeches and discussions.
Issues arising from the conference included:
- Four decades into the neoliberal transformation of Uganda, the all-encompassing and transformative character of this process is evident. It was also noted that scholars have grappled with the analysis of some of these changes; mostly focusing on issues of governance, policy-making, military conflict, and state-building.
- Relatively little analytical attention has been given to major topics concerning the making and operation of today’s neoliberal Uganda, this exemplary market society in East Africa and the continent at large: this includes the political economy of neoliberal restructuring (including the roll-out of commercialisation across sectors and the rise to dominance of foreign TNCs), the political sociology of the formation of hegemonic and counter-hegemonic movements, and the political ecology of extractivism.
- The existence of significant gaps in the academic literature about the interlinkages among economic, political, sociological, ecological, legal and cultural processes in this highly consequential round of capitalist restructuring of the country: the phase that has locked-in a distinct capitalist institutional architecture for the foreseeable future.
- The question of how to contest, resist and change the existing neoliberal polity, economy and culture – i.e., the fundamentals of Uganda’s capitalism – is also not often analysed in much of the scholarship. And yet, the ‘what to do?’ question is prominent in the public debate in the country, given the manifold crises – across economic and social sectors – brought about by neoliberalisation.
The conference took place in a wider context in which universities have been recognized as agents of change in many societal spheres. They are moving away from the ‘ivory tower’ concept, where they are seen as occupying special places in terms of knowledge generation without much concrete connection to society and its everyday challenges. Instead, the change-oriented agency of today’s University is evident also in the offering of a platform to debate and generate ideas that can inform policy for change, and involvement in change-oriented projects with other stakeholders, public and private.
The conference thus aimed at providing a platform for analysing and debating various developments of Uganda’s neoliberalism since the early 1980s.
It is hoped that many papers presented at the conference will be developed further, subjected to peer review, and published to inform research and policy making in Uganda and beyond. The conference participants continue their networking and collaborations beyond the end of the conference.
The next conference on contemporary capitalism in Uganda is expected to be held in 2026. The conference was supported by the POLIS Strategic Investment Fund (SRIF) 2023/24 (University of Leeds). This grant also helped citizen researchers from northern Uganda to participate in the conference and present their research findings.
College of Health Sciences Quality Assurance (QA) Training in Assessments, Pedagogy and Competence Based Curriculum Held 18–19 June 2026 at Esella Hotel.
Pedagogy, Assessment and Supervision Training Workshop
The College of Health Sciences has embarked on the journey to improve the teaching, assessment and preparation for the adoption of the competence-based curriculum.
The training was held on 18-19 June 2026, at Esella Hotel, Kira, the training targeted the teaching assistants, lecturers’ senior lecturers’ key administrators and some PhD fellows, generally the early career academic staff that are yet growing in the ranks.
Objectives
- Equip participants with modern pedagogical approaches for effective teaching and learning.
- Review and harmonize assessment strategies to ensure quality and fairness in academic evaluation.
- Enhance supervisory competencies for guiding graduate students in research and academic progress.
- Foster collaboration and shared experiences among facilitators, supervisors, and administrators.
The key focus areas for the training
- Guidelines in Assessment & Course Outlines- Dr. Cyprian Misinde -Chief Quality Assurance Officer.
- Competence Based Education and Assessment- Dr. Mike Kagawa
- Advancing continuous improvement in teaching, learning through teaching styles -Dr. Ssebowa Dorothy.
- Teaching methods Knowledge production and acquisition- Dr. Peter Ssenkusu
- Graduate Supervision Challenges and Opportunities- Prof. Grace Ndeezi.
- Competence Based Curriculum in line with the NCHE- Dr. Innocent Besigye.
- Feedback mechanisms in training- Dr. Irene Rebecca Namatende.
Key Outcomes for this training
- The participants gained the understanding of learner-centered teaching approaches and pedagogical principles.
- Acquired new skills supervisory skills, particularly in guiding research and addressing student challenges.
- Consensus on adopting standardized assessment tools across graduate programmes.
- Practical exposure to teaching models and interactive learning methods.
- Development of action plans for continuous professional development in pedagogy and supervision.
- The participants also acquired more skills in line with the competence-based curriculum as required by the National Council for Higher Education.
During the Discussion Key important Questions emerged as follows:
- Who supervises the supervisor?
- What is the difference between notion hours and contact hours?
- The 60/40 way of assessments—can it be independent for every course unit taught or allocated differently?
- How do we manage difficult supervisors?
- How do we Coerce PhD students to be fully involved in departmental activities without them feeling Coerced?
- How much time do we need to prepare for the review of the programmes in line with the competence-based curriculum as required by the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) and the World Health Organization (WHO)?
We truly thank the facilitators and the participants who made this training very informative and enlightened. We also appreciate the Principal/Deputy CHS, the Chief QA Officer, Makerere University and the University Management for the enormous support and for making this activity possible.
Dr. Irene Rebecca Namatende
Quality Assurance 0ffice
College of Health Sciences,
Makerere University
The Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Academic Affairs (DVCAA) Prof. Sarah Ssali on 15th July 2026 commended the Research and Education Network for Uganda (RENU)’s Industrial Trainee Program, describing it as the perfect hands-on intervention for the future workforce. She made the comments while on a guided tour of RENU’s on-campus Lab facility where ten undergraduate students from Makerere and other Universities are undergoing a two-month practical training.
Origin of tour
The tour was prompted by a 24th June 2026 meeting with a RENU delegation led by CEO, Mr. Nicholas Mbonimpa, aimed at broadening the existing partnership with Makerere University beyond internet service provision to supporting teaching, learning and research activities. During the said meeting, Prof. Ssali expressed Makerere‘s desire to produce graduates that are not only academically grounded but also cognizant of the needs of the job market.
In his response then, Mr. Mbonimpa expressed RENU’s readiness to continue advancing digital transformation through advancing resilient connectivity, research infrastructure, and innovative initiatives that enhance teaching, learning, and research. He shared that the Senate Building’s computer network had been revamped in line with advancing resilient connectivity, and the initiative would be expanded to the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT) buildings and other premises subsequently.
The RENU CEO further highlighted that resilient connectivity forms a good basis for the proposed Open Radio Access Network (RAN) Architecture deployment set to be done within six months, so as to boost training of students in 5G and other technologies. Other initiatives discussed included training staff and students on acquisition of Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID) to improve visibility of their publications and research output.
Training Program Lauded
Addressing student interns during the 15th July guided tour, the DVCAA who was accompanied by the 92nd Guild Speaker Rt. Hon. Trevis Mutatiina Muhwezi urged beneficiaries to harness all the technical and social opportunities accorded by the Program. “Not all students in your respective academic programmes had the benefit of being exposed to this kind of training so please make the most of it and utilize skills gained here beyond the classroom setting”.
The 2026 Industrial Trainee Program is equipping students with skills on how to diagnose and repair ICT equipment based on old and disused stock.
Prof Ssali was also toured the makerspace where solar-powered routers are manufactured and deployed to extend internet connectivity to both rural and urban locations. In 2023, RENU partnered with Mesh++, a Chicago-based connectivity solutions manufacturer, to manufacture solar-powered internet routers in Uganda. Since inception, over 200 units have been manufactured and deployed across various sites in Uganda, while over 80 units have been shipped to various African countries such as Malawi, Rwanda and South Sudan under the RENUMESH Technologies joint venture.
Partnerships Inspiring New Prototypes
The RENU CEO nevertheless pointed to a long turnaround time for shipping parts from the U.S. as one of the drawbacks hindering the product’s rapid deployment. As a result, RENU, in response to the Ugandan Government’s call for import substitution and local capacity development is developing a solar-powered internet router with some of the components sourced from Ugandan companies Innovex and Chloride Excide.
“Innovex will supply the Internet of Things (IoT) component to help RENU remotely monitor and control the router while Chloride Excide will provide the batteries” Mr. Mbonimpa explained. He added that some of the current lot of trainees were already running simulations on the prototype and proposing how the device can be further refined so as to increase its portability and reduce its price.
A call for Expansion
At the conclusion of the tour, Prof. Ssali who commended the use of modular Ugandan components for the prototype thanked the RENU team to exposing students to real-world technological deployments. She nevertheless urged the CEO and his team to expand the program’s intake beyond ten trainees and duration beyond the current two months so as to give students a richer experience.
The CEO RENUMESH Technologies Mr. Brian Masiga thanked the DVCAA for following up their 24th June meeting with the visit, which demonstrates that the University Management values students’ development of practical skills. He equally thanked Prof. Ssali for Management’s support to RENU activities and pledged to further refine the prototype to produce a cheaper and more portable proudly Ugandan product.
General
Makerere University Launches First Writing Summer School to Strengthen Professional Writing Skills.
KAMPALA, UGANDA, EAST AFRICA| July 6, 2026.
Makerere University has officially launched its inaugural writing summer school, a week long professional development program aimed at equipping students, graduates, researchers and staff with practical writing skills required for academic excellence and success in today’s competitive job market. The program jointly organized by the Makerere University Writing Centre and Makerere University Press (MakPress), reflects the University’s commitment to nurturing graduates with not only academic knowledge but also the communication skills needed to thrive professionally.
Held virtually, the launch attracted more than 280 participants from Makerere University and other higher education institutions, demonstrating the growing demand for structured writing support beyond the classroom.
Building the Next Generation of Writers.
Speaking at the launch, the Director of Makerere Writing Press, Prof. William Tayeebwa, said the summer school represents an important investment in developing writers before their work reaches publication.
“The press has traditionally focused on publishing books, journals and scholarly work. Today, we are expanding that mission by helping and develop the writers who will produce tomorrow’s publication.
He noted that MakPress continues to support the publication of books and scholarly works produced by members of the Makerere Community. Using recently published books authored by a member of staff and a student as examples, he encouraged participants to submit manuscripts for publishing support rather than relying solely on self publication.
Writing as a Foundation for Academic and Professional Success.
Chairperson of the Makerere University Writing Centre, Prof. Frederick Muyodi, said the center was established to strengthen the writing competences among students, researchers and university staff.
” The Writers Center is here to support every stage of the writing process from CVs and application letters to research manuscripts, grant proposals, reports and responsible use of Artificial Intelligence in writing.”
He explained that the Centre supports writing across multiple disciplines and professional contexts, adding that its long term vision is to extend writing support beyond Makerere University to institutions across Uganda and the East African region.
Equipping Graduates for the Labour Market.
Officially launching the summer school, the First Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Prof. Sarah Ssali, described the initiative as a strategic investment in preparing graduates for an increasingly competitive labour market.
She observed that while universities successfully impart disciplinary knowledge, many graduates leave campus without the practical writing skills required to secure employment and other professional opportunities.
“We teach content very, but many students are never taught how to write an effective CV, application letter, motivation statement or scholarly essay. Yet these are the documents that often determine whether someone secures an opportunity.”
Prof. Ssali said the writing summer school would bridge the gap between classroom learning and professional practice by equipping participants with market ready communication skills.
Reaffirming her office’s commitment to the initiative, she added:
“My office is pleased to support this initiative as we institutionalize the Writing Summer School to ensure that Makerere graduates leave not only with degrees but also with practical competencies needed to thrive professionally,”
She officially declared the inaugural Writing Summer School open and expressed optimism that future editions would attract even more participants and resources.
Participants Gain Practical CV Writing Skills.
The first technical session was facilitated by Mr. Abdul Noor Luttamaguzi, a PhD student in the Department of Zoology, Entomology and Fisheries Sciences within the School of Bio sciences at Makerere University, a Senior Fisheries Officer with Luweero District Local Government, and the founder and director of the ANL Foundation, an organization that supports youth employment and capacity building.
During the session, he guided participants on developing competitive CVs tailored to specific professionals and employer expectations. He emphasized that applicants should customize their CVs to suit each opportunity instead of submitting the same document for every application. Participants also learned how effectively present their education, work experience, leadership roles technical competencies and professional achievements, while avoiding unnecessary personal information. Practical demonstrations using professional specific CVs provided participants with hands on examples of preparing competitive job application documents.
Looking Ahead.
The Writing Summer School continues throughout the week sessions on application letter writing, responsible use of artificial intelligence, professional communication and other essential writing skills aimed at improving academic productivity and employablity.
Through initiatives such as the Writing Summer School, Makerere University continues to strengthen its commitment to producing graduates who are not academically accomplished but also equipped with practical communication skills that enable them to compete and lead in today’s global workplace.
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